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Bright spot at Sunken Gardens, thanks to generosity of several

There will be a bright spot at Sunken Gardens this year, thanks to the generosity of several local businesses and individuals.

The giant Christmas wreath that once graced the front of Huntington's Wolf & Dessauer department store will be lighted Thursday, Dec. 3, for the Christmas season.

The remainder of the traditional Christmas light display at Sunken Gardens will remain dark this year, a victim of the city's current financial crunch.

The costs of lighting the wreath, however, is being underwritten by Myers Funeral Homes, McElhaney-Hart Funeral Home, Bailey-Love Mortuary and Deal-Rice Funeral Homes, Denise Bard, superintendent of the Huntington Parks and Recreation Department, has announced.

Larry PeGan, a local electrician, has donated his labor to install a timer that has been purchased by an anonymous donor.

The wreath, located at the top edge of the former quarry, is easily seen from West Park Drive.

The wreath will be lighted each evening from Dec. 3 through Dec. 31, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. That's the same hours a smaller display at Memorial Park will be lighted, Bard says.

This is the second year for the smaller display, a drive-through area located off Bartlett Street. It's staged with the help of Huntington resident Chris Elston and uses LED lights and computer controls, which are more economical than the lights and manpower needed for the Sunken Gardens display.

The drive-through display costs about $100 to run each season, Bard says, while the Sunken Gardens show cost about $5,000 to operate.